Sporting associations all over the world use this document as a basis for best practice in their grounds.

In the Safety Management chapter emphasis is placed on the need for a competent Safety/Security Manager to run events and ensure the safety of the public and staff. Local Authorities are being challenged by the Football Licensing Authority to ensure that a calculation for the S Factor is made and this relates directly to the Safety Management Structure and audit trail in a football ground.

In the light of these changes and the focus again on the Safety or Security Officer Watson Associates has developed a new course The Spectator Safety Management Programme, a four day programme to deliver the underpinning knowledge required for the NVQ Level 4 in Spectator Safety Management and to allow direct assessment against the standard, as prescribed by the Green guide.

This one step course allows candidates to register with City and Guilds the World’s most prestigious awarding body and be assessed carrying out their duties in the grounds. It is a generic programme covering all sports and events, and the qualification is awarded after the candidate has completed a project and a series of questions, not exams.

The project involves creating an Operation Plan for a stadium, Arena or Events that the candidate will then be Safety or Security Officer. Assessors will attend the events and assess during the working period.

As with all qualifications, units can be used from other relevant qualifications that the Safety Officer has. Recently Watson Associates has worked alongside a Safety Advisory Group Chairman and he has completed the NVQ level 4. He is believed to be the first SAG Chairman to complete this qualification in the UK.

The course covers all aspects of planning for Safety Management including; roles and responsibilities, safety certificates, traffic management planning, event planning and audit trails. Risk assessments for medical plans, events and stewarding are all covered with best practice examples available for all delegates on a cd rom to use after the programme ends.

In addition to this programme the Safety Advisory Group Officer Training programme has now been added to the portfolio of Watson Associates, this too is an accredited training programme for members of a Safety Advisory Group; it is particularly useful as a tool for retiring emergency services officers who are looking at going into Spectator Safety Management in the future.

This three day course visits all aspects of roles and responsibilities for SAG Members, constitutions, and the legislation around sports grounds and how they are managed. Two units of the NVQ Level 4 are assessed through this programme with an option for the delegate to move onto the full level 4 qualification.

For more details of the new programme visit www.suewatson.co.uk or contact Watson Associates on +44113 2893414.